


Skin, Bone, and Feathers

by n0t_bess1e_b4ss_0n_the_b4ss



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Wings, Angie is such a mom, Body Horror, Emma is in so much pain, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Gore, Multi, Pain, Wing Grooming, Wingfic, a lot of blood, but still, everyone is soft for Emma, non-sexual nudity, okay it’s not even nudity just no shirt, so much pain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 21:09:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18725038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/n0t_bess1e_b4ss_0n_the_b4ss/pseuds/n0t_bess1e_b4ss_0n_the_b4ss
Summary: Emma Nolan didn’t have wings.





	Skin, Bone, and Feathers

The Broadway actors didn’t really know what to expect when they knocked on Emma’s front door.

This wasn’t the first time the teenager invited them over, but this time her message seemed a bit more urgent and panicked. It didn’t exactly give them much detail about her predicament, so there was a lot of room to worry.

Suddenly, when Trent was about to try knocking again, the door was yanked open with force.

“Sorry! Sorry!” The frazzled, wide-eyed, wingless teenager yelped. “Come in!”

She side-stepped out of the way and then immediately winced, her hand shooting up to her shoulder. They all noticed her obvious discomfort while she rolled her arm around in its socket.

“Hey, thanks for coming!”

Emma was awfully strange. Unlike everyone else in the whole world, she lacked wings. The actors all had theirs; Barry with a swans, Trent with a great horned owls, Dee Dee with a harpy eagles, and Angie with a fox kestrels. Even Alyssa had her own pair of beautiful emerald lapwing wings. People were born with them, but Emma just seemed to be affected by a birth defect or a deformity or something.

“So, what’s wrong?” Barry asked, scanning her for any injuries.

Emma became pale and she fiddles with the hem of her tank top. When she finally decided to speak, she avoided eye contact.

“I don’t know,” She admits sheepishly, “My back has just been hurting a lot lately. Naturally, I just thought I was sore, but-“ She swallowed hard, “-but it’s worse. Bad. Really, _really_ bad.”

The actors exchanged worried and curious looks.

“What do you mean?” Trent inquired.

“Like-“ Emma’s hands flutter, like she was trying to make a gesture but couldn’t think of something. “Like my spine is being ripped out. And then I’m beaten with it. But then it’s all on fire and then _I’M_ on fire and-“ She cut herself off with a grimace. “It’s not good. I was-I was trying to check to see if something was wrong, but I can’t really...”

“Would you like some help?” Angie offers.

“Yeah, that would-that would be nice.”

Angie didn’t really know what she was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t what she was shown in the bathroom.

Emma awkwardly pulls her tank down down enough so where her back could be seen. There, on top of her shoulder blades, were swollen, bright red blemishes. The skin was scarred and split open, bruises painted in blotchy blacks, purples, and blues. Tufts of _something_ are growing out of the gashes.

Angie couldn’t help but gasp and that made Emma tense.

“That doesn’t sound good.” The girl said shakily. “Is it-is it bad?”

Angie didn’t know how to answer. She extends a hand and gently brushes her fingertips over one of the bumps, but it’s still enough to make Emma shriek. The girl staggers and would have cracked her skull open on the sink if Angie hadn’t caught her.

“Easy, easy,” The kestrel murmurs, “I’ve got you.”

Emma still goes down- the pain makes her head spin and she can’t support her own body anymore. She whimpered and turtles against Angie, who kneels down next to her.

“It hurts,” She choked out.

Angie frowns and holds the trembling teenager close to her. She looks up when the other three actors practically knock the bathroom door off its hinges.

“What’s going o- _Oh my god_!” Barry cut his own question off with an exclamation. He stares at the marks on Emma’s back with wide eyes. The other two have the same expression.

“What the hell?” Dee Dee yelped. “What’s _happening_ to her?”

Trent sidles to the side to try and get a better view. He drinks in the sight before his eyes bulge out of their sockets.

“What if she’s growing wings?” He said.

Emma just about choked on the air around her. She sat up straight, pulling her tank top up fully to shield the ghastly sight painting her flesh.

“Wh-what?” She squeaked, “No. That’s not possible! Th-the doctors said-“

“The doctors clearly lied.” Dee Dee cut her off, “Dormant genes are probably kicking in or something. But I think Trent is right. I mean, what else could it be?”

Emma opened her mouth to suggest something, _anything_ , but she couldn’t think of anything reasonable. She bites hard on her lip, fear coursing through her veins. The pain flares again and she chokes the urge to scream.

“You should be laying down.” Angie said, helping the girl to her feet.

Emma was so overwhelmed. She felt a panic attack coming on, but tried to keep her breathing steady because she didn’t need to have a mental breakdown right now.

She sat down on her bed once inside her room, staring dazedly at her hands. She only looks up because Angie gently lifts her chin to make eye contact.

“Hey, hey,” The kestrel murmured when the girl whimpers. “You’ll be okay.”

“Well,” Trent started from the doorway. “we don’t know. She’s getting wings. I guess they’ll be growing out of her skin. Well, bursting out. Think of it like giving birth! But instead of a baby from the vagina, it’s wings from the back. The pain will probably be similar.”

Emma’s face paled, and not just because of the ache she felt. She began to panic while Dee Dee and Barry practically clobbered Trent with their wings.

“Th-that’s going to kill me!”

“I mean...there might be a chance.” Dee Dee said and, this time, it was her turn to be whacked.

“Hush up!” Barry hissed. “You’re making things worse! The poor thing is already terrified as is. We don’t need to put even more images in her head.

Angie looked at Emma, who’s shaking even harder. She takes one of her hands.

“You won’t die, I promise. You’ll be okay.”

She glanced at the other three actors again. Having them in the room would probably only overwhelm Emma even more with all their chatter. So, she politely asks them to grab a few things and then stand out in the hallway.

“Alright, sweetheart,” The kestrel cups one of Emma’s cheeks. “That’s gonna have to come off.” She nods at the tank top.

Emma’s ears burn bright red, but she has to oblige. At least Angie turns away so she could wrangle off the shirt. If only it was that easy.

Emma accidentally lets a scream slip when the fabric catches on the wounds on her back. Tears explode from her eyes and she hunches over, feeling something warm and sticky running down her back.

“Emma!”

Angie is immediately by her side and she doesn’t know whether to be humiliated or grateful. The kestrel appears to be fretting over her before finally touching her shoulder.

“Emma, Emma,” She says, trying to get through to the fledgling, “Emma, it’s okay. Your shirt is just caught, that’s all. Alright? Nod to me if you can hear me, sweetheart. Can you do that for me?”

Emma sucks in a sharp breath and nodded. Angie praises her.

“That’s good, sweetie, that’s very good.”

Angie grabbed the hem of the tank top, which was halfway dangling off of Emma’s shivering body. She hesitates.

“I’m going to get this off of you, okay? Just relax for me.”

Skin is clotted in the fabric, with blood additionally acting as glue to plaster the shirt in place. Angie searches for a give, but she couldn’t get very far without making Emma spasm. With no other choice, she pulls and fresh layers of flesh come free as she does. Emma shrilled, pushing against Angie to try and get her away.

“Stop! Stop!! It hurts!" She sobbed.

“I know, honey, I know,” Angie said sadly, but the shirt had to go.

She finally untangles the tank top and sets it aside. Over the course of thirty minutes, more furrows of feathers and fluffy down have managed to grow out of the scars on Emma’s back. Just looking at it made Angie’s stomach feel weird and she quickly turns her attention back to Emma, who is starting to hyperventilate.

“Shh, shh,” Angie coos, holding the girl gently and making sure to avoid touching her sensitive back. “It’s okay. You’re okay, sweet girl. You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

A trembling hand grips tightly to one of Angie’s sleeves and Emma has never seemed so small before. If she could barely handle something getting caught on her wounds, then Angie had no idea how the poor thing was going to get through literal appendages growing out of her back.

The bedroom door creaks open and Barry peeks in, with Trent and Dee Dee looking over his shoulder. He steps inside and sets a bowl of water, antiseptic, a water bottle, and some rags on the nightstand. A frown settles on his feature when he sees the worsened state Emma was in.

“Take care of her,” He said to Angie.

“I will.”

The kestrel tentatively untangles herself from Emma, who whimpers in resistance. She brushes some hair out of her sweaty face.

“Lay down, sweetie. On your stomach.”

Emma obeys, too exhausted and in pain to do anything else. She yelps when a warm rag is pressed to one of the bumps on her back. It hurts at first, but then she relaxes as much as one can in this situation. She knew what was coming and that terrifies her.

“How’s school going?” Angie suddenly asked while wiping down the girl’s back. She’s trying to distract Emma.

“Huh? Uhh- Good.” Emma answered then seemed to perk up a little, “Oh! Did I ever tell you about what happened on Tuesday?”

Angie raises an eyebrow and chuckled.

“No. What happened on Tuesday?”

“Well,” Emma laughed, “Alyssa and I were down in the band hall after school because I was grabbing my guitar case since I keep it in there. But while in the locker room, I was like, ‘Alyssa, look at these pipes! They look like money bars!’ And she said, ‘Don’t touch them.’ And I said, ‘You don’t tell me what to do, Alyssa Greene!’ So I climbed the pipes like monkey bars and they broke. And then the band hall flooded.”

Angie couldn’t help but burst out into laughter, especially when she imagined the panic the girls must have been sent into.

“So that’s why school was canceled for the rest of the week.” She said and Emma nodded.

“Yup! All because of me!” She laughed.

Angie smiled, but it quickly turned wry when she wets a fresh rag.

“This is going to hurt me and lot more than it’s gonna hurt you.”

“What?”

Emma cried out when a disinfectant-soaked rag is pressed to her back. She attempts to claw at Angie’s hand, but doesn’t help change her situation or stop the stinging.

“Wh-what was that for?!” She yelped once she could speak.

Angie is really trying not to laugh or grin.

“I was cleaning your back.”

“You didn’t need to-“

That happy moment was short lived when hot agony sears up Emma’s spine. She presses her face into her pillow, choking on her words. Her fear comes rushing back and Angie was quick to calm her by saying nothing was happening yet.

“I can’t do it, Angie,” Emma gasps, “I can’t. It hurts too much.”

Angie gently thumbs away her tears. She frowns sympathetically.

“You have to, honey. I’m sorry.”

Emma lays her head back down, smothering her face against her pillow. She wanted to try sleeping through the growth, but doubted that would even be remotely possible.

Angie looks back down at the girl’s back. She touches gently, and the skin is very soft. She attempted to feel for any signs of wings, but she couldn’t find anything. Maybe it wouldn’t even happen today. Although she couldn’t stand the thought of Emma being in pain any longer than she had to.

Beneath her hand, she felt Emma cough and shudder violently. Discolored feathers bristled further from her shoulder blades, clumping up and getting caught on her frayed skin. Quills are starting to grow out of her flesh, now- not just from the scars. It makes Angie’s own wings feel weird.

Finally, she takes notice on Emma’s heavy breathing and is quick to calm her.

“Easy, sweetheart,” Angie murmured, gently stroking the girl’s hair, “Deep breaths, okay? In and out. You’re going to be okay.”

Emma whimpered and shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. White hot agony blazes through every nerve and she can barely find the strength to lift her head up.

“I’m gonna die,” She whispered hoarsely, “I’m gonna d-d-“

She coughed and black spots appear in her vision. She desperately wants to go numb, but the pain isn’t letting that happen.

“Emma. Emma, listen to me, alright? I’m going to ask you a few questions. Do your best to answer.” Angie said, “Can you tell me five things you can see?”

Emma blinked deliriously before realizing what Angie was doing. She swallowed thickly and then went to speak, but no words came out. Frustration momentarily overcame her anxiety and panic. Angie helps her drink from the water bottle Barry had brought in.

“Window,” She forced out through her teeth, “You. Curtains. Bookshelf. Blankets.”

Angie nodded, grabbing and squeezing one of Emma’s hands.

“That’s right, sweet girl,” She said, “Okay, now what are four things you can feel?”

“Pain.” Emma screws her eyes shut and had to wait for the next wave of pain to dissolve away, “P-pillow. Your h-hand. Blankets.”

“You’re doing great, honey,” Angie says, “Three things you can hear?”

“Your voice. Heartbeat. Heartbeat. Heartbeat, heartbeat, heartbeat-“ Emma trails of dazedly, trembling harder. The pounding in her ears is covering up everything else and she can’t stand it.

“Breathe, sweetheart, breathe,” Angie reminds her and she snaps out of her trance. “I’m right here. You’re okay.”

Emma nodded shakily and tried to focus on some other sound, but she can’t. She can barley hear Angie’s voice as is.

“I c-can’t hear anything else,” She says, “I’m sorry.”

Angie squeezes her hand and gently lifts Emma’s chin with the other. She brushes her thumb across the girl’s cheek, making her press into the comforting touch.

“That’s okay. Let’s move on, alright? What are two things you can smell?”

“Blood.” Emma says quickly, “And perfume.”

“Very good, sweetheart, that’s very good. Now what’s one thing you can t-“

Angie didn’t get to finish her question. Nor would Emma be able to answer.

Emma suddenly whimpered sharply, clawing into her blankets.

It was happening.

A thunderous pain seared up the girl’s spine and into the rest of her body. The pain was festering, like a wound that would never close. Her heart throbbed heavily against her ribcage, threatening to break the bones apart and add to her suffering. Her muscles simultaneously pulsated and burned, deepening her anguish. They shifted underneath her skin, disgustingly twisting and bulging the taut, pale flesh.

The swollen areas on her back began to grow outward, skin straining with whatever was underneath. At this point, Emma was shrieking and crying loudly. Her flesh finally broke open from the pressure, folded appendages growing out from her shoulder blades with the sound of muscles tearing and tendons popping and bones resetting accompanying it. A sheen of pink and red fluids glistened upon the limbs.

Suddenly, Emma screeched from the pain and they stretched outward, unfolding, splattering blood across the room.

Wings, just like Trent has expected.

Emma collapsed completely, sobbing and gasping for air. Angie snaps out her awestruck trance from what she had just witnessed and lifts the girl’s head into her lap, stroking her hair in a calming way.

“It’s okay, sweetheart, it’s okay.” Angie murmurs, “It’s over. You did it.”

Emma hiccups and then blinked blearily. She tried to look over her shoulder, but winces and sets her head back down. She still aches all over and can already guess she’s going to be bruised for awhile.

Right now, it was impossible to tell what color the little downy wings were, as they were soaked in a coating of blood and other fluids, but Angie swore she could see some iridescent flecks peaking out. She smiled softly.

“The hard part’s over, honey. I'm just going to clean them now, okay?” Emma tensed a little and Angie is quick to reassure her, "No, no, it won't hurt. I promise. It'll feel good.”

Emma nodded and allowed Angie to start wiping away the blood and amniotic fluid. True to her word, it didn't even hurt a little bit.

It did feel good.

Emma sighed softly, the tension slowly rolling away, and leaned against Angie.

Angie wiped in small, soothing circles as she cleared away the splattered mess upon the girl’s sore back, careful not to disturb her as she drifted between the stages of awareness and rest.

The kestrel was very careful while cleaning the pristine feathers until they were soft and gleaming, straightening them out as she went. As they dried, they fluffed up. Emma, despite being a teenager and a fledgling, mainly had down at this stage. Angie rubbed her fingers through the portion she's already completed and Emma cooed softly, leaning into her touch, the little wings fluttering slightly in contentment.

“Do you like that?" She rubbed at the spot once more and smiled when she felt the lightest nod. “Well then, I'll have to do this a bit more, but I need to finish first."

Working her way through the small wings, over every feather, Angie takes the time to ensure that nothing was left untouched. And when the gore was finally removed, the sight was breathtaking.

Even though the color was just starting to set in and the true masterpiece wouldn't show until she shed her baby-soft down and grew in the flight feather, Emma’s wings were magnificent. The base was brilliant iridescent blue, blending beautifully with ebony and silver-brown.

Angie couldn't help the smile that came to her face. Emma wasn’t even her own child, she was just _so proud_. Emma had wings! They were magnificent wings! They were already so much more than hers, so much better, and that was amazing.

The color of the wings was nothing yet, but the strength of the color, the richness, gave way to the grace of the being. After sifting through her vast memory of bird wings, Angie came to the conclusion that Emma HAD to be a fairywren.

The girl was completely asleep when Angie finished completely. The kestrel unfurled her own wings and wrapped them around Emma. A few minutes after, the other three actors peek in.

“Can we come in?” Barry asked. “I don’t think I can wait any longer.”

“Is she okay?” Dee Dee added.

“What they said,” Trent nodded.

Angie chuckled and motioned for them to come inside.

“Just stay quiet. She’s sleeping.”

Emma’s wings, what they would look like, had been a mystery since the day she was born. Everyone said she would never get a pair of her own, and yet here she was. And to see them now was a privilege Barry, Dee Dee, and Trent hoped they were able to have. Who got to see them and when, was completely up to the kestrel guarding the girl like she was her own chick.

But Angie moved her wing away, letting them all see. Sapphire and ebony and silver shimmered in the lamplight. They would all brag about this to everyone and anyone, all the time, for any reason.

“Aren't they amazing?" Angie beamed.

“Oh my,” Dee Dee was just speechless.

She reached down to pet the wing nearest her, eyes darting up to Angie for such permissions that were needed. The kestrel nodded softly as a go ahead, and she ran her fingers through the soft down. She touched gently, so gently.

“They are magnificent." She finally said, smiling when the wing fluttered under her hand.

“They’re perfect.” Barry said, not even realizing that he was crying over the sight. “She’s perfect. It’s all so perfect.”

Trent couldn’t even force out words in his choked up state. If he could, though, he would be going on and on about how brilliant Emma and her wings were. And nobody could disagree with him because he was absolutely right.

They all stayed over that evening, one by one falling asleep with Emma nestled between them. Eventually, the girl would wake up at some odd hour of the night and realize she felt better than she has in a long time.

 

 


End file.
